How to Change Your Default Google Account

Google allows you to switch between multiple Google accounts easily. One of those accounts will be assigned as your default Google account, which is typically the account you signed into first (according to Google).

How Your Default Account Works

Google uses your default Google account automatically when you use Google services like Google Search, Gmail, YouTube, Drive, Photos, and more. If your default Google account isn't the one you want it to be, you'll have to switch to the appropriate account every time you access one of these services from a web browser.

You might want to change your default Google account if:

• You want to automatically sign in to your Google account on your personal computer or devices
• You want to automatically sign in to your work-related Google account on your work-related computer or devices
• You're currently spending more time and effort than usual using Google services for a different Google account

Resetting Your Default Google Account

The only way to change your default Google account is to sign out of all your Google accounts and then sign back into the primary Google account you want to set as your default one first, before you sign into any additional Google accounts. Follow these steps to make sure your default Google account has been changed to the right one.

1. Navigate to myaccount.google.com in a web browser and select your profile picture or icon.

2. Select Sign out of all accounts.

   You might be shown a message about your syncing being paused. If you see this message, select Continue.

3. You'll see a Choose Your Account screen with all your signed-out accounts listed.

4. Select the Google account you want to be your default, enter your password, and select Next. Since you signed back into this account first, it automatically becomes your default Google account.

5. To sign back in to another Google account, select your profile picture or icon, then select the account and sign in as usual. Repeat this process for any other Google accounts.

6. To verify that the first account is your default, select the profile icon of another signed-in account. You'll see "default" next to the first account you signed back into.

   When using your default Google account, you won't see the "default" label after you click your profile. You'll see the default label in the dropdown list only while you're actively using another Google account.

An Important Note About Your Google Account Settings

According to Google, each Google account has its own separate settings, but when you're signed into multiple Google accounts, sometimes Google can't tell exactly which one you're using. In this case, some settings might be applied from the wrong Google account.

For instance, when you open up a new web browser window while signed into two of your Google accounts, Google might not be able to tell which one you want to use in that new window. Settings for that new window will then typically be applied from your default Google account.

What About Setting the Default Google Account on Google Mobile Apps?

If you use official Google apps like Gmail or YouTube, you can sign in to multiple accounts and switch between them just as you can with a web browser. Select your profile and then choose the Google account you want to use.

Unlike using Google services via the web, however, there doesn't appear to be a default label next to any particular Google account. The app simply remembers which Google account you used last and keeps you there until you manually switch to a different one.